Work the Extra Mile
by ImpastaMan
Summary: Another Gerita Oneshot, Office AU. Have you ever watched the office? Yep.


A soft knock on the door cracked Ludwig out a trance of strain, deeply sighing and pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.

"Come in."

"Mr. Beilschmidt? I brought you that coffee you requested, sorry that I delivered it – Mr. Honda is a bit busy." A young male peeked his head round the door, emerging with a steaming cup of black coffee; setting it on the desk beside him.

"Thank you again for accepting me as an intern, it was really nice of you to pick me out of all the candidates!" His hair had a bouncy texture to it, the auburn tresses settling nicely on his head with the extra company of that rebel curl. His button nose scrunched as he flashed him a happy grin, Ludwig nodding.

"Well, you seemed like a good option. So far, I haven't been disappointed." Ludwig pressed his back against his chair, looking up at him and delivering him a warm smile, "Shoo, then. Don't you have work to do?" He chuckled a little at the playful scorn, watching the Intern as the unnerving question caused him to explode into a fleeting moment of apology.

"I'm sorry, I guess I just got caught up and stuff! Uh, I need to go meet up with Mr. Kirkland actually so, uh, I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine, Feliciano. You don't want to be late now." His attention was now directed back on his work, gesturing to the watch on his hand as he registered the footsteps followed by a click of the foreign intern. The organized chaos that was his office of stranded papers, scrapped work and folders with various sheets left neglected piled a monumental burden of stress on his shoulders; leaning back in his chair once more to roll his neck and pushing his sleeves up.

Their company had been open for work experience in order to maintain a high reputation in their field of engineering – and it had seemed there was a lot of competition between interns. Feliciano Vargas, the newest Italian intern that had just presented Ludwig with his beverage, was lucky enough to be fished out from the list due to his unique attributes. He wasn't particularly helpful in the mechanism of the machinery, however he was described as someone with attention to detail. Though he could not fix them himself, he could point out faults in assigned apparatus that in the long run made it run smoother. He was only a year younger than Ludwig and he seemed to be a keen subject to him, something about him just made him feel calmer; though the stress lifted was ephemeral.

He cracked his back before a restrained sigh was released, he'd figure it out later. Though as time went by and he filled out more of the unattended sheets, a strange sense of apprehension clouded his attention – and he was right. His door opened once to a pale looking boy with bristle, chaotic silver hair and a wide grin tugging at his mouth. The German presented himself in the room, looking down at his Brother who kept his pen scratching at his paper; his brows in a tight knot to try to pretend of his absence.

"Lud!" The male pressed a hand onto the desk to lean up, cocking one of his eyebrows at the working elder. His voice was raspy and harsh and was written with confidence,

"Bro, c'mon!" He hissed at him before grabbing one of the stranded files and whacked his Sibling on the back of the head with it, earning a low growl from his victim.

"Gilbert, tell me what you want – then leave. I don't have time right now." He ground his teeth together, locking them in place as he scowled at his cocky counterpart.

"You certainly had time for that Intern though, didn't you? You seem very smiley today!"

"I was being polite."

"Are you sure about that? You never smile at me!"

"You're never polite."

"Well, that's just rude." Gilbert huffed once more and folded his arms, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you'd much rather have _him_ deliver all your coffee."

"In fact, he'd be much better candidate than you."

"Fine then," He smirked, "I'll have that arranged!"

"Wait no, Gilb-!"

The door clicked again, Ludwig groaned.

.

Two weeks had passed and it had been established that the other Interns including Matthew Williams and Alfred F. Jones would be staying the month to finish their work experience. Gilbert had befriended the young Italian who aided him and his co-workers in the machinery department, also giving him a tour of the place he'd be spending most his time in. For now, though his Boss was technically Ludwig, Gilbert had taken it upon himself to take the responsibility from him – he said it was 'Easier and less stressful' even though Ludwig begged to differ. Feliciano was never in any set place, it was always a job to find him wherever he may be located in the premises. At the current minute, he was in the office department on the third floor discussing with Kiku basic protocol and earning some paper work on the unpredicted blemishes on the machinery; including appearance.

"No problem, I'll make myself useful!" His eccentric personality caused him to flash a broad smile at Kiku who nodded in return. He spun on his heels and starts to analyze his files through the translucent folder, keeping his concentration on its instructions – though the uncanny resemble to smashing his nose into a wall was simulated as he swiftly shook his head, looking upward as he felt the coarse fabric of a dress shirt; emitting a small squeak when he saw the owner.

"Ah, I'm sorry Mr. Beilsc- Gilbert? I'm sorry! You two kinda' have the same _body and stuff so I'm sorry I just hit you just then aha..._ " He trailed off with a sheepish smile, rubbing at the skin on his neck. The next contact received was a rough hair ruffle from the elder man, followed by a laugh.

"It's fine, Kiddo!"

"I'm only a year younger than you..."

Gilbert shook his head and breathed heavily through his nose, mustering a large grin.

"I know, I know! You wanna' get lunch?" Earning a nod in agreement, they walked through the establishment together before finally exiting the main department and branching off to the dining area. Most of the workers had flooded their way out for lunch prior – so they thought it'd be best to join. File still in hand, they joined the other Interns and Gilbert's Brother who happened to be Ludwig. It was a surprise at first as there were hardly any remnants of their resemblance between them both but they kept persisting they were brothers. They were both polar opposites, one loud and rowdy the other calm and collected, it was quite honestly intriguing; even to the Sibling's themselves.

"So Feli, you thinking of working in a place like this after we're done?" Matthew questioned, Feliciano shook his head.

"You're not?"

"Nope! The reason is so I could just get an idea of what it's like to work properly for once, I want to go more into the art field than anything." He stated, flicking through his folder with Alfred next to him, both evaluating.

"Oh, I'm surprised." Ludwig cut in before Matthew could respond, "You have a lot of potential."

" _Yeah, for a date._ " Gilbert lightly scoffed under his breath with a glare from his Brother and a clock over the head from Alfred, Feliciano making a hum of curiosity.

"Say, Feli, would you like to go out sometime? Since we hardly hang out at work and stuff." The buoyant intern had raised an eyebrow before answering with a smile.

"Sure! Would Matthew and Alfred come?.." Ludwig felt a sting at the absence of his name, watching as Gilbert hissed.

"Sure." He retorted sharply, "No. Just us two, to hang out privately you know!" Feliciano tilted his head, Alfred slowly appearing out from behind the Italian with his mouth slightly agape – Matthew following.

"Uh, maybe? I don't really see the point if it isn't with the others, they're our friends too." A faint thud was heard behind them as the normally reserved Canadian slammed his head into the table, Alfred tittering at him. Ludwig shook his head and chuckled lowly himself, Gilbert gritting his teeth at him.

"It's fine then, don't worry! Maybe some other time." Feliciano nodded, not completely understanding his intentions.

Ludwig soon dismissed himself from the table with his fond foreign intern trailing behind him with a few questions in mind - to of the which were where could he locate himself in order to work peacefully. His Boss smiled and nodded and showed him to a secluded area he could file the work up. There was a brief moment of tension when they stood outside, unsure on how to reel the conversation to an end as Feliciano just played with his sleeves before momentarily giving him a hug and pressing his hand on the door to quickly escape.

Once inside, he screwed his eyes shut and rubbed a patch on his chest to soothe his palpitating heart from his amateurish and improper behaviour. He sighed and sat himself down in the chair, running a hand in his hair and letting it settle again. He couldn't believe what he had just done, even if it was just something insignificant as a hug.

He slid the folder on the desk and began to fill in the various sheets and write rough drafts he had preceded before hand. He had fleeting moments of embarrassment but they had soon passed within the minute as he managed to compose himself. Feliciano departed from his chair, pacing around the room and lightly tracing his fingers over the spines of the files and orderly books; constantly rolling his sleeves up and down. Pacing round the room soon lead him over the frigid window that allowed him view the industrial like buildings where people would walk or jog in between buildings and meet up with others, it was hard to comprehend the vision that everyone down there had just a complex life as he; but regrettably his wasn't very exciting at all.

He fell too immersed in his train of thought, but luckily the trance was only temporary as a knock on the door startled him some as he turned round once more.

"Um, come in!"

"Feliciano! Ludwig told me you were here," A rather lusty voice came through when the door opened, an ecstatic face to match. "I wanted to talk to you!"

"Oh, hello Alfred! What is it?" He walked round the desk to meet him, Alfred stood with his hands behind his back with his normal broad and euphoric grin expressed – though it seemed off, Feliciano dismissed it.

"Didn't you see what Gilbert was saying to you in the hall?" He questioned quite casually,

"Of course!"

"Wait, if you did why didn't you say yes?" Feliciano chuckled into his hand, smiling warmly back at him.

"Because he's just not my type! A bit too loud if you ask me." A sudden change in Alfred's behavior was noticeable when the boisterous part vanished and was replaced with shock, his mouth tugging open but fighting against a smile.

"What? Oh please don't tell him, I don't want to hurt his feelings!" Feliciano clasped his hands together as he pleaded, the American in front of him momentarily laughing removed his glasses; wiping his eyes with his index finger and resting them back on the bridge of his nose.

"Sure, sure. I'm surprised, you're quite the actor!"

"Thank you for that then!"

.

Ludwig grasped onto the door frame and swung himself round into his Brother's office, smirking wildly.

"So, that was a bit of a failure wasn't it?" The German closed the door behind him, hearing a loud slam repeat itself as his victim slammed his pen on the table and rammed his chair into the wall, stood in rage.

"So what? Not like you have the guts to anyway, he just didn't understand and that's all there is to it!" He gripped the table, a quiet laugh and the waving of a hand gesturing for him to calm down via his Brother.

"Honestly, you could have just asked if he wanted to go on a date."

"Yeah, well why don't you do it then..." The elder slumped back in his chair, pushing his cheek up in his palm and huffing through his nose. Ludwig stood stationary, swallowing his desire to speak his mind and fiddling with his hands, negligent in keeping them still.

"Well, uh, because I don't like him! It's you who does." The dust on his cheeks was rid with his pride as gulped again, Gilbert not missing a moment of this – analysing from the way he spoke to his actions and behaviour.

"Oh, is that how it is then?"

"Yes!"

"You sure?"

"I'm sure!"

"Alright then!"

.

The weeks had flown quickly for all three candidates, coming up to their closing week – Gilbert had devised a plan that involved Feliciano's other two classmates. After agreeing and gathering the props needed, they hid behind a corner just beside the Italian's temporary office. A bouquet of cornflowers simply gave away the most cliché plan they had ever devised.

The plan was to wait for Ludwig to come down the hall, shove the flowers in his hand and kick him in to Feliciano's office while pressing their curious ears up to the wall to listen in as the burly rugged male confessed his ever-dying love for the timid, sweet Italian.

However, that's not quite how things went. When Ludwig came down the hall, they ran out and replaced the files in his hands with the cornflowers but yet their formation wasn't set in stone so nobody had grabbed hold of him and took him to his lover's office.

So they were outside. With Ludwig. Randomly taking peoples' files and replacing them with cornflowers.

"I-I don't think that worked." Matthew latched to Gilbert's arm, Alfred making unsure sounds of dismay.

"Would you ever so kindly give me my files back and let me get on with my day without you three in my way?"

"Hey, that rhymed!"

The sharp, raspy voice from the American who slowly sunk behind the wall was given a mental scolding from the raging glare of Ludwig, scowling loudly at the two of them and the remains of what was visible of Alfred. A while of arguing caused the door behind them to open, a familiar figure appearing with a confused but perturbed look. At the instant the Interns, including the elder German, caught them in sight they bolted down the hall, the event left Ludwig in a state of confusion as he turned round; startled whilst gradually stepping backward. His hands were indecisive, his left still gripping onto the bouquet.

"Ah, uh...my apologies, Feliciano." He coughed, unable to control the fluster surfacing, "That was my Brother's doing, uh." He made note on the fact the Italian kept directing his attention from the flowers to him, in need of a explanation.

"I-It wasn't my fault! I, uh...didn't mean to get these..."

"Wait, so you bought them by accident?"

"No, no! That's not what I meant! I meant that uh, my Brother gave these to me!"

"Gilbert loves you?"

"No, no! Well, yes! But not like that! Because I love you like that an-" Feliciano blinked several times before Ludwig froze and evaluated what he had voiced, trying to retract the statement before sighing heavily and hanging his head – extending his arm and pushing the flowers in the Interns direction.

"Take them." He said, "I was going to some eventually for you anyway, guess Gilbert did it for me..." Feliciano tentatively took them from his hand and watched as Ludwig feebly attempted to recover from his hiccup. His posture was written with embarrassment and shame, looking up when a heavenly like laughter came from the younger male as he admired the incomparable beauty of the blossoms.

"Maybe we should hang out sometime then!"

"Y-Yeah, we should."

The two had gotten together on a date during the last week of Feliciano's work experience - a long lasting Relationship that started with an awkward first date but they soon smoothed out into a happy, healthy, lovingly and clichéd couple.

* * *

...Worth it.


End file.
